Norris Tops Oscar Piastri in Sao Paulo Practice

Lando Norris just pipped team-mate and championship contender Oscar Piastri for the fastest time in the final moments of the practice session at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

The British racer, who seized the title advantage from Piastri by a single point after winning in Mexico City two weeks ago, beat the Australian by a mere 0.023s.

Until that point, Piastri had been the leading McLaren during the running before the sprint shootout due at the evening session.

Max Verstappen, the sole remaining contender in the championship fight, sitting 36 points behind Norris, finished in 17th place as his team ran a different programme.

His teammate Yuki Tsunoda was the only driver to go off, though minor, when he spun at corner four early in the session.

Tsunoda slid over the curbs on exit before spinning across the escape zone, and was blessed to avoid just a minor contact of the fence.

Ferrari's the seven-time champion also lost it, at the very end of the session, rotating twice through the fast downhill Mergulho corner leading to the last turn on to the pit straight.

The veteran ended the session in 19th, just behind teammate the Monegasque driver.

The McLaren pair were significantly quicker of the other competitors, with Nico Hulkenberg's car in third, over half a second slower than the Australian's time.

The Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso was fourth quickest, with Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto ahead of Mercedes' George Russell and the Alpine of Pierre Gasly and Williams' Sainz.